This Easter we went to Salzburg for 48 hours. Yes, hardly the most languishing trip to this beautiful Austrian city, but we made the most of it. Our first full day was Good Friday, and I was struck by all the lavish Easter shop displays, and the sight of Austrians carrying catkins tied with ribbons, which is the Eastern European version of the palm cross that we use...

A few weeks ago I had the very great honour of meeting neurologist Dr Oliver Sacks and interviewing him about his new book Hallucinations for the Knowledge Centre at the University of Warwick, where he is  currently a visiting professor. Although he claims to be gauche and sometimes even slightly cross in company, I found him to be modest, gentle and witty, not to...

Sometimes, you can’t beat simplicity. Goodness knows, I’m the first to embrace new technology, but a few weeks ago I discovered the AlphaSmart Neo and it rocked my world. This keyboard (I can’t even bring myself to refer to it as “kit” because it rejects all attempts at modernisation) might look like a Speak & Spell, but is in fact...

During my signing today at WH Smith in Lichfield I was lucky enough to get a shout-out from the Town Crier, Ken Knowles, who also happens to feature in one of the pictures in the book. Many thanks to Ken for mentioning my signing event at “this book emporium” – it was brilliant and certainly got some reactions from customers and...

I just wanted to share with you this unusual postcard view by Walter Scott of the Old Museum and Libary (now Lichfield Register Office). At a family gathering a few weeks ago, I discovered that my uncle is related to a man who worked at the stonemasons Bridgeman & Sons in Lichfield. Family history has it that he carved the lions at the entrance to the Memorial...